Evening all,

I have been using these forums for many years gaining information so I thought I’d post this info that’s taken me a few days to gather if someone is thinking of using a Monarch shock with their Orange Five. I couldn’t find a good answer in one place so this might be of use. For other bikes it’s a good idea to find the right tuning for the bike.

The answer is your recommended the 190x51mm sized Monarch with a M/M tune (recommended by SRAM email).

Ok a little detail if anyone was interested (please note all collected info not tested yet by myself):

The Monarch comes with different tunes M/L/H for the compression and the rebound (red for rebound and blue compression) marked on the shock. The new orange five comes stock with an OEM shock that is M/L with orange specific tuning. It was recommended that the M/M which is easier to find is a good alternative that they have had good feedback on being ran on the Orange five.

I spent a while trying to find out the difference between the high volume air can and the standard it got mentioned a few times it was based on the bike but I can’t find anything to back this up. People find the standard air can, can be a little hard for lighter riders and heavier riders prefer this option, but it is a better fit and forget option. The High volume can is more plush and allows you to adjust the chamber size with spacers which can be added. Rockshox tunning kit Part # 11.4115.039.000. If you find the shock is going through its early and mid travel quickly adding spacers solves this without affecting the small bump sensitivity. You can also use electrical tape wrapped around a few times if you don’t want to pay for the spacers to reduce volume.

The high volume sleeve can be removed (The Monarch manual covers this properly) after air has been taken out of the shock and you remove the o-ring keeping it in place. If you install some spacers before a ride this means you can adjust the amount of spacers on the fly while testing only needing a shock pump. You do need to remove the shock to take them off completely.

The difference between the RT3 and the RT is the number of adjustments. The RT has 10 clicks on both rebound and compression and the RT3 only has 3 on the compression. So more tuning scope for the RT but easier to adjust quickly with the RT3.

I’m sure I found out a few more things I’ll add if I can remember. Please feel free to correct any rubbish I have just posted.

Cheers

Sugden

I’ve just changed from a 2012 kashima rp23 to a monarch rt3 much to the horror of my friends.

It has taken a few rides to break in. At first it felt a bit judery compared to the buttery smooth kashima.

The thing I noticed was that it sags to my 20% set level and then feels very stable and hard. Its fixed my bobbing issue. Even at 20% it has a lot of travel and blows through the travel so I might have a play reducing it.

I’ve also toyed with playing with the floating piston

I’m not sure what the intention of this post is…

Did you have an objective?

Whats your objective rickon??

Just to piss on someones chips?

Well, no.

I’d like to know what the post is about. It appeared to be asking a question, but then looks like it’s a ‘note to self’. Which is odd on a forum thread.

I’ve switched from a RP23 to a RT3 Monarch, so can give some help, but not without knowing what’s the OP’s objective.

I switched from anRp23 to a Cane Creek Double barrel, although the DB weighs a ton, it’s ace. I wouldn’t bother with anything else currently.

started off with a push tuned fox van RC and switched to a monarch RCS3 to try it out. the coil is much better but it does weigh more.

generally speaking monarchs have more compression damping compared to a fox float for a similar state of tune e.g. MM.

When I was looking to swop there was very little information out there on the monarch rt3. I couldn’t even find which way was climb or descend (equivalent)

I have a Monarch R on my bike. I pumped up the shock to what Rockshox suggest for my weight, set the rebound dial in the middle and it was fine.

I pumped up the shock to what Rockshox suggest for my weight, set the rebound dial in the middle and it was fine.

did this for my Monarch RL…seems fine

Mine doesn’t even have the lockout. TBH, I don’t miss it or even think about it.

I’m not sure what the intention of this post is…

Did you have an objective?

It was more of a note to anyone else interested. In case someone else used the helpful search function and would find all the information I spent quite a lot of time finding. There were a lot of posts asking for this kind of info on other forums and somewhere on this one, as switching to the monarch seems to be a popular choice for the orange five. A quick google search or forum search now pops it all together for someone else to find.

After riding this shock for a few rides I prefer it to the RP23 it replaced. The Orange used to bob a lot and it now feels a lot more stable. Not as plush but much more controlled. The only criticism so far would be if your after a fast rebound shock this isn’t for you, but I have read when it’s bedded in more it will speed up a little.